Tag: pc-1500

For debugging purposes (and also for playing around with memory chips on a bread board) I’ve created little breakout boards for the cartridge slot on the bottom of Sharp PC-1500s/1600s.

I’ve added a layer of foam (not visible on the photo) on the bottom side of the cartridge to prevent the pin ends from scratching on the case.

Typing on the PC while having cables connected to the cartridge is a bit annoying as I tend to pull off the cables when turning the PC around. I’m currently figuring out a better solution by using ribbon cables instead of the pins. I will update the post as soon I’ve managed to make photos of the modified version.

Just a little update for all readers interested in Sharp 1500/1600 PCs: for hacking around with the Sharp Pocket Computers I’m using a self-made breakout board that allows easy access to all 60 pins of the interface connector.

It’s not that easy as it may sound to find paper rolls for a 30 years old printer, the Sharp CE-150. The printer is used in combination with a Sharp PC-1500/1500A pocket computer.

I’ve looked at my small amount of paper rolls, the leftovers I’ve found in a box on the attic. Interestingly they were differing in size (can’t remember why):

(Left to Right)

Core Diameter

Tube Diameter

Outer Diameter

Width

Roll 1

7.7 mm

14.7 mm

28.5 mm

57.4 mm

Roll 2

8.3 mm

13.0 mm

29.3 mm

57.6 mm

Roll 3

11.1 mm

17.0 mm

33.0 mm

58.7 mm

Roll 4

9.7 mm

-

19.7 mm

58.3

Their width and outer diameters did not differ significantly, but the core diameters did. Paper rolls with core diameters of 7-9 mm are hard to get, the rolls sold today mostly have a diameter of 12 mm. I’ve successfully tested thermal (yes: thermal) paper rolls with this diameter in the CE-150, and these are really cheap to get (e.g. on eBay Germany). The ink doesn’t run, but there might be paper rolls with different coatings. I did not check that.